


them's the breaks

by Anthusiasm (HalfwayDecentFanfiction)



Category: The Good Place (TV)
Genre: F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Tahani and Eleanor Are Soulmates AU, broken leg, childhood neglect
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:14:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27070291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HalfwayDecentFanfiction/pseuds/Anthusiasm
Summary: Of course Eleanor would find a way to break a leg in the literal Good Place.Set in an AU where Tahani and Eleanor are soulmates.
Relationships: Tahani Al-Jamil/Eleanor Shellstrop
Comments: 1
Kudos: 112
Collections: Comfortween 2020





	them's the breaks

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Comforting someone with a broken bone or broken heart.

Since she arrived in the Good Place, every party Tahani threw ended in disaster. The welcome soiree had been interrupted by rampaging giant butterflies, the Starlight Gala had been upstaged by another party across town, and she’d somehow made a dreadful mistake with the placecards of the brunch party, leading to a morning of awkward conversations and at least one soulmate fight.

Tonight, though, was Michael’s birthday party, and it was going to go smoothly even if she had to die a second time to ensure it. She’d triple-checked all the preparations, she’d invited everyone weeks ahead of time so no one had any prior engagements, and she had five separate backup locations—each one impeccably decorated—that they could retreat to in the case of another glitch of reality. 

Then, her soulmate broke her leg.

Really, it was just like Eleanor to break a limb on a day like this. Ever since she’d told Tahani her secret—that she was a nobody from Arizona, not a human rights lawyer—Tahani’s life had been utter turmoil. She had to spend every waking moment making sure no one saw through the charade, on top of her party planning duties. Tahani had barely listened to the story Eleanor had told about how her leg was broken. All she remembered was that it involved an eagle’s nest, shrimp cocktail, hammer pants, and something called a “coupon code.” Tahani had tried to ask how it was even possible to break a limb in the Good Place, but once Michael started talking about “techno-parsecs” and “Disco Janet,” Tahani had gracefully bowed out of the conversation.

It would be so easy to just go to the party. Eleanor wasn’t her real soulmate, so this shouldn’t be her problem. Except she was acutely aware that if she didn’t take care of Eleanor, everyone in the neighborhood would look down on her. Several of her friends and neighbors had dropped by carrying presents, well-wishes, and passive-aggressive comments about how of course Tahani would miss the party tonight, what a shame. It was bad enough that Tahani and Eleanor had to act like a couple in public, now Tahani would be missing the most spectacular party of her life, for the sake of a woman who’d had sex with not one, not two, but six men who’d participated in a monster truck rally.

“Do you need anything, dear?” she said, perching on the arm of the couch where Eleanor was lying. “Some water? Snacks?”

“Can’t Janet get me that stuff?” said Eleanor.

“Janet is at my party,” said Tahani. “Where I would be, were I not so totally devoted to you.” She felt her voice inch up an octave on that sentence. Then she patted Eleanor’s leg, in a way that turned into a smack halfway through.

“Ow!” said Eleanor. “Just go to your party if you care about it that forking much. I can take care of myself.”

“Nonsense,” said Tahani. “I’m your soulmate. It’s my duty to help you heal with my charming company and tender attentions.”

“Okay. When are you going to start?” said Eleanor.

“And I shall simply rise above any ingratitude,” Tahani said loftily. “That is what a truly good person does. Perhaps it shall be instructional.”

“What will get you to leave?” said Eleanor. “Do I have to get down on my knees and beg? Well, knee. One’s broken.”

“For the last time, Eleanor,” said Tahani. “I am not leaving you alone with a broken limb. It simply isn’t done.”

Eleanor shrugged. “Yes, it is. People do it all the time. I never had someone do this for me when I had a broken bone back on earth. So quit forking complaining and go to your party if you don’t want to be here.”

Tahani blinked. “By ‘this,’ do you mean…take care of you?”

“Yes,” said Eleanor. “I got through broken bones by myself. I got through pneumonia by myself. I took an Uber home from the dentist after a root canal once. I don’t remember what happened but after that my rider rating dropped way down.”

“I don’t believe this,” said Tahani.

“Yeah, I know. Serves me right for going to the forking dentist. Never did it again after that. No regrets.”

“That’s—please don’t tell me things like that while we have to pretend to be soulmates, it makes everything so much harder,” said Tahani. “Eleanor, that’s not normal.”

“Yes it is,” said Eleanor. “I was fine. I’ve always been fine by myself. I don’t need you hovering over me, waggling your condescending boobs in my face and acting like I’m helpless.”

“I’m not…condescending boobs?” said Tahani.

Eleanor shrugged. “Because they’re so much bigger than mine.”

“Well, thank you,” said Tahani. “But Eleanor, of course you can take care of yourself. I, for example, was fully capable of taking care of myself when I broke my leg skiing with my good friend Lindsay Vonn in college. But it would have been nice for my parents to pick up the phone and call, anyway.”

She bit her lip, feeling like she’d revealed too much about herself. She didn’t want Eleanor judging her for not being worthy of her parents’ attention. But Eleanor didn’t look like she was judging her. Instead, she had a searching look on her face.

“I guess our parents had a lot in common,” Eleanor said, crossing her arms.

Normally, Tahani would’ve bristled at that, but in this instance, well. Yes, they did. 

“You’ve really never had someone do this for you?” said Tahani.

“No,” said Eleanor. “And I don’t need my first time to be with someone who doesn’t want to be here and is only doing it because her friends want her to. It’s like the backseat of Russ Glosterman’s car all over again.”

“Please never tell me the rest of that story,” said Tahani. “But setting that aside. I’m sorry, Eleanor. Those things I said were terribly rude.”

“It’s fine,” said Eleanor. “Now go to your party.”

“It’s not fine!” said Tahani. “I do want to be here!” And as she said it, she realized it was true. If no one had ever taken care of Eleanor when she was hurt before, Tahani would be the first. And, in classic Tahani fashion, she was ready to make it a truly memorable experience. Her mind raced. She’d set up an elegantly-laid table of baked goods and fresh-squeezed lemonade, gather bouquets of fresh flowers, rest Eleanor’s leg on soft pillows hand-fluffed by Tahani herself. And, of course, she’d be at Eleanor’s beck and call, fetching whatever she needed. Tahani was going to absolutely knock Eleanor’s socks off. Well, sock.

And even if this somehow went wrong, well, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. If something went wrong at a party for hundreds of people, then she’d face judgement, gossip, social repercussions. But if something went wrong with her and Eleanor, Eleanor would just laugh it off. Make a joke, and move on. She’d made it clear that she wasn’t impressed with Tahani’s efforts to cultivate her image, but on the flip side of that, she didn’t mind so much when the mask slipped. It was relaxing.

For a moment, Tahani wondered if Eleanor really was her soulmate. She squeezed Eleanor’s hand.

“I want to be here,” she repeated. “I promise. And I’ll prove it to you. Just you wait.”


End file.
